Scholar
by Hatsukoi Ayame
Summary: Hyuuga Manor. Home to the brightest, most intelligent young men in the country. And one stowaway girl deluded by her quest for knowledge. "You honestly think your little cross-dressing game of charades will work?"  NejiTen  AU
1. Acceptance

**a/n:** First story? Yes, yes, I think so. XD Finally had some inspiration.

NejiTen, obviously. I don't care what other people say. They belong together. -fangirlsqueal-

Anyway, this _is_ a story with cross-dressing. Normally, I'm not too fond of those kinds of stories - girl pretending to be boy and whatnot (I think it's normally the author's writing style and their plot development that is below par, the ones I've read, at any rate) - but I was _inspired_ and this is the ending product. I hope you enjoy it!

**disclaimer:** I do not own.

_-:-Ayame-:-_

* * *

**SCHOLAR  
**CHAPTER 1  
_-:-acceptance-:-_

_"I'll have a hard time adjusting."_

"I want a acre."

"A acre? What for, missy?"

"What are'ya asking me for? As long as I pay, you should keep your nose outta my business, Kunio."

Tenten matched the man's glare with one of her own and eventually he sighed reluctantly, giving in to her withering stare.

"Aye, I normally don't sell land to women but seeing as you won't leave until I do, I s'pose I'll have to make an exception, eh?" Kunio gave her an outlandish wink as he wrote out the details of the deed in neat calligraphy, dipping the feather quill in a black jar of ink every time the words began to fade.

"Damn right you will," Tenten stated vigorously, shaking her bag of coins for emphasis. "And be sure you write that this land is mine, _permanently_. I won't have none of your tricks – I'm not renting, I'm buying."

The man nodded amiably, finishing the deed with a large flourish. "Aye, I hear ya. Would you like to look it over?" He handed it to her.

She snatched it out of his hands viciously, growling under her breath 'If I find a mistake, I'll kill you' as she pretended to read the marching squiggles and lines. All of it was nonsense to her – she wasn't educated – but to the Estates at the Capital, these funny little symbols meant a hell of a lot and she wanted to be sure that she didn't have any reason to quarrel with them.

"Seems alright," Tenten announced after a moment.

"The gold," Kunio demanded, holding out his hands, his eyes glowing, "Two hundred coins."

As Tenten handed the sack of gold to the man, there was a shout from down the cobblestone path and the two looked up curiously. "Hey, missy, any idea what's happenin'?"

"How would I know?" she snapped back absently, too busy peering over the heads of the crowd that gathered to answer properly.

Faintly, faintly, came a voice, struggling to be heard over the chatter to the villagers.

"Make way for Tsunade-sama, the cleverest woman in the country!"

"Nasty brute," Kunio swore, counting out the coins.

Tenten glanced at him strangely. "Tsunade-sama? Who's she?"

"A woman, an _educated_ woman," Kunio spat out vehemently. "Her father was Head Scholar at some college far off – he thought women had a right to knowledge as well. The stupid bastard…"

"This woman, this…Tsunade, can read and write?" Tenten asked incredulously.

"She's the 'cleverest woman in the country', didn't'cha hear?" Kunio shook his head disapprovingly. "Aye, these are sad times indeed when women claim to know more than men. I don't care if they got a cure for death, they oughtta keep their damn mouths shut. They should know their place."

Tenten frowned. "If she did find a cure for death, you wouldn't be badmouthing her, would you?"

"I wouldn't take the cure," he said stubbornly, crossing his arms over his potbelly, "not if it was made by an _educated woman_." He said the last few words like they were a curse, a taboo.

"You lie," Tenten hissed.

Kunio waved his arms. "Be gone, you! You got your land! Now go before I decide to annul it!"

Muttering curses under her breath not so quietly, Tenten clutched the piece of paper and weaved through the streets back to her home, once in a while catching a glimpse of the proud woman and her wise amber eyes.

Her brother, back from the college for the weekend, sat at the sturdy oak table, sipping a sharp-smelling herbal tea and reviewing his notes. Looking up upon her entry, he smiled at her warmly. "Where did you run off to today?"

"I got a acre of land, Tetsuo," she announced, holding up the deed triumphantly.

"_An _acre," he corrected her.

She shook her head, brushing it off with a wave of her hand. "Doesn't matter. Either way, it's _mine._"

Tetsuo held out his hand. "Well, let me take a look."

Tenten gave her brother the deed and watched excitedly as he reviewed it. But when his forehead crinkled worriedly and his eyes narrowed skeptically, she felt her heart stop. What was wrong?

"You've been scammed," he said finally, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Scammed?" she echoed, unsure of the word.

"You see here?" Tetsuo pointed to the mentioned passage. "In the deed, it says one square foot of land, not an acre. A square foot is barely an acre."

"The scoundrel!" Tenten exclaimed forcefully, clenching her fist. "I paid him two hundred gold coins!"

Tetsuo crumpled the paper. "Who sold this to you?"

"Kunio," she muttered dangerously.

"He has ties with the Estates," Tetsuo explained with a shake of his head. "We can't possibly complain to them about this. Let this be a lesson to you, Tenten. Whenever you purchase something and the seller demands you to sign a written document, get me. I'll review and _then_ you pay them."

Tenten slammed her fist against the table. "_No,_ I need to learn how to _read_, Tetsuo. I can't keep coming to you and asking for help. I'm not a little girl! I have a right to literacy."

"No, Tenten, no, you _can't_." Tetsuo rubbed his temples tiredly. "Men of this era cannot stand women being smarter than them."

"I won't tell them I know how to read," Tenten suggested.

"They'll know," he insisted. "If you point out their deliberate 'mistake' in the deed or contract or whatever written document they're trying to press on you, they'll know you can read. They'll take back their offer and refuse to sell to an educated woman. Either way, you'll lose."

But Tenten wouldn't let it drop.

"Tsunade-sama," she cried, "_she_ has an education. _She _knows how to read and write!"

"She's been excommunicated by the Estates," Tetsuo pointed out.

"I don't give a damn. Teach me to read, Tetsuo."

"No."

Tenten folded her arms tightly over her chest and clomped over to the window, peering at the people that passed. "_Why_ are women kept so ignorant?"

"Men and their egos…" Tetsuo chuckled quietly. "They look down upon women with a brain."

"_Bastards._"

She scanned the rooftops of the houses in the village, looking longingly at the large structure the village was built around – Hyuuga Manor. A prestigious college for well-to-do young men, it only accepted the brightest of the bright, the most scholarly of scholars. Tetsuo had the good enough fortune to attend, his acceptance based on a letter of recommendation by their uncle, another college's Head Scholar.

"_I _want to attend," Tenten whispered so her brother wouldn't hear.

"You can't," he said at once, most obviously hearing her wish.

"Why not?" She glared at Tetsuo.

"You're a girl."

"That doesn't make me incompetent!" Tenten marched over to her brother, still seated at the table, and moved so close that their noses touched. "I want you to sneak me into Hyuuga Manor."

Tetsuo shoved her away and stood up, towering above her by a good foot. "No. You're mad."

"I'm _not_," she insisted, resisting to stomp her foot like a whiny, insolent child. "You're one of the High Scholars! The others respect you, they look up to you, _and_ you have a good relationship with the Head Scholar!"

"And I won't sacrifice that to get tangled into one of your crazy, harebrained schemes," Tetsuo snapped, losing his patience.

"Gai!" Tenten exclaimed suddenly. "He's a High Scholar at Hyuuga Manor! He'll sneak me in! I don't care if you disapprove," she added when Tetsuo opened his mouth to argue. "It's not I'll need your help now. Gai will sneak me in.

"And I don't care if you threaten to turn me in," she went on. "I'll cut my hair, wrap my chest, and stuff my pants if I have to. I have a right to knowledge."

"You honestly think your little cross-dressing game of charades will work?" Tetsuo looked at her skeptically.

"Of course! I despise wearing skirts anyway."

Tetsuo sighed, giving in. "You're stubborn, just like Mother was. Very well. I shall write a letter to Gai. Be ready by tomorrow at sundown."

"Really?"

"The ends justify the means, after all."

* * *

"The Black Fever."

"The Black Fever." Cynical eyes bored into his brown ones.

"Yes."

"He seems healthy enough."

"I wanted to wait to ensure that he had fully recovered."

"You say he contracted this disease at the age of eight?"

A nod.

"Eight years is an awful long time to wait."

Tenten glanced at her brother, who stood his ground against Hyuuga Manor's Head Scholar, his brown eyes showing no sign of weakness. Hyuuga Hiashi peered at the pair suspiciously from his grand desk, a warm fire crackling merrily in the hearth behind him.

"I did not want to infect the college, Hiashi-sama."

"He will be a Novice, Tetsuo," Hiashi warned him.

_A Novice? Was that bad – an insult? _Tenten cocked her head quizzically.

"I know."

Hiashi leaned forward and pressed his fingertips together, watching Tenten calculatingly. She tried not to flinch. "What is your name, boy?"

Tenten, astonished that the Head Scholar addressed her directly, almost forgot to lower her voice to a deeper pitch. "I am c-called Tetsuya, sir. N-Nakamura Tetsuya…"

"Very well." Hiashi rummaged through his desk drawer before pulling out a set of dark black robes and proffering them to Tenten. Prompted by her brother's elbow jabbing at her side, Tenten stepped up to receive the bundles of cloth and bowed respectfully. "Your uchikake, they are to be worn at all times.

"Keep in mind, Tetsuya-san, that every other Novice enrolled is _eight._" He raised an eyebrow. "To assist you in saving face, I will have a tutor assigned to you. You will not attend the lectures with the other Novices. Your tutor will be responsible for your education."

"H-Hai." She bowed her head respectfully.

Hiashi tossed a key and Tetsuo caught it expertly. "Room 210, Tetsuo."

"I'll show him straight away."

"Dismissed."

Tenten hurried to get out of there, suffocating under Hiashi probing stare and the crackling fire. The halls were damp and dim but she welcomed them like an old friend. Wordlessly, Tetsuo led her down the halls, giving and receiving nods from men of all shapes and sizes, all sporting the same long, black robes.

"A roommate," Tetsuo murmured as they entered the dorms.

"Nani?"

"You will be assigned to share a room with another Scholar," he further explained. "No doubt it will be alphabetically."

"Al-pha-be-ti-cal-ly?" Tenten frowned at the unfamiliar word.

"Right, you don't know what that means." Tetsuo shook his head. "Never mind, you'll soon learn."

They stopped outside a door with the numbers '210' clearly etched into the bronze plate. "This is where I bid you good-bye." Tenten nodded and reached for the doorknob but he held out the key. "You'll need this." He watched as Tenten fitted the key into the lock and stopped her before she entered. "Be careful, _Tetsuya._ Always be cautious."

"Of course."

Tenten waited until Tetsuo disappeared around the corner before opening the door, her uchikake tucked under one arm.

The room was small. Two beds were positioned against opposite walls beside two desks. Two wardrobes stood upright in their respective corners.

She wasn't surprised to see one of the beds occupied and she walked over to the empty one, unceremoniously dropping the robes onto the neatly folded blankets. Tenten was aware of her roommate's eyes honed in on her but she proceeded to put the uchikake in her wardrobe neatly before whirling around to face him.

The two stared at each other for a moment before he sighed and sat up.

"I didn't expect a roommate."

Tenten's eyebrow twitched. "Pity."

"I was enjoying having the room to myself." He sighed. "My old roommate transferred months ago. I'll have a hard time adjusting."

"Nakamura Tetsuya." She stuck out her hand primly, ignoring his short monologue.

He regarded her handshake proposal curiously. Without warning, he hauled himself off of his bed and stood very closely to Tenten, looming over her. Her eyes widened at their proximity and she withdrew her hand, shying away, lowering her head to hide her blooming blush.

_So close…to a boy…_

Her roommate regarded her inquiringly but shook his head as if he couldn't be bothered. "Nara Shikamaru," he introduced himself, flopping back on his bed to return to staring at the ceiling, "Middle Scholar, but everyone here knows I'm smart enough to be a High Scholar." He gave her a look as if she had said that he wasn't but soon dropped it lazily.

"P-pleasure to meet you," Tenten stuttered, still flustered by the previous closeness of the two.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "You're pretty wimpy-looking, Tetsuya."

"Runs in the family…" she muttered.

"I don't think so. Tetsuo's a pretty big guy." He eyed her charily.

"I'm the runt then."

He frowned, still not convinced but deciding not to question it. "So, will I be seeing you at the Middle Scholar lectures?"

Tenten paused, and then shook her head.

"Oh? So you're a High Scholar? Of course, the smaller ones are always the smarter ones," Shikamaru mumbled darkly, glowering at his thick torso.

"I-"

"No, don't apologize for being smarter than me. Rest assured it's not true," he proclaimed in a superior tone. "I _could_ be a High Scholar but, really, it was hot the day of the Exams – why they decided to choose that day escapes me – and I was just so damn _tired_ – studied too much the night before, I suppose – and then I decided it was too troublesome and fell asleep."

Tenten bit her lip, refusing to correct his assumption. _Let _him believe that she was in a higher rank than him. _Let_ him believe that she was smarter. _Let_ him believe that 'she' was actually a '_he'._ If he was coerced, then let him be. It would keep him from probing too much anyway.

Or so went her logic.

But he wasn't stupid. He was a _genius_, but simply too _lazy_ to put his intelligence to good use. And as an unofficial genius, he sensed that something was not right.

Shikamaru smirked as question slithered to the tip of his tongue. "So, you got a girl at home?"

Tenten squeaked.

* * *

She looked back down at the piece of parchment.

_Your tutor will await you in the Study at five._

Luckily, a Low Scholar had arrived with the letter just as Shikamaru had inquired about her love live, giving her a much appreciated opening and excuse not to answer. She quickly pulled the uchikake over her shirt, earning a reprimand from Shikamaru ("You're not supposed to wear something underneath."), and rushed out the door without answering.

She had to ask at _least_ five other Scholars (all male, of course) for directions. Every single one of them had given her a peculiar look and a vague set of directions. When at last she had circled the college three times – that's what it felt like – she ended up in front of the Study.

It was empty.

Sighing, Tenten seated herself at one of the many table and began preparing herself to meet her tutor.

She was expecting a large belly; a long, neatly-combed white beard; droopy, crinkly eyes aided by a pair of ancient horn-rimmed glasses; a shiny bald head, void of any remnants of hair.

So lost was she in her projection of her tutor that she did not hear nor see her real tutor enter the room, only noticing him when he cleared his throat several times. Tenten jumped and turned her eyes onto him, feeling her heart stop.

"God. Damn. It."

Her tutor cleared his throat once more before coming over to the table and taking the seat beside her. "I do not know what you desperately want Him to condemn but I sincerely hope it is not me." He smirked slightly.

Tenten blinked, astounded. _Was that supposed to be a joke?_ It didn't matter, really – she was far to entranced, enthralled, awed, star-struck, to laugh.

"You are Tetsuya and I am to be your tutor. My name is Neji, Neji Hyuuga."

* * *

**a/n:** Ohh, cliffy. Not a very good one, but I suppose it'll have to do.

Tenten and Kunio (OC) both talk with a very uneducated vernacular. I did it on purpose. Rest assured, I am a Grammar Nazi myself. I only wrote it out that way to subtley enforce how very uneducated women were kept in this society.

And yes, this is a patriarchal society. Though the time period in relation to _our_ history of mankind is not certain. It most definitely doesn't take place in a pre-literate era, nor does it take place in a technologically advanced era. As for the government, there is no 'king' or 'royalty'. I haven't decided but I'm leaning more towards a democracy. Of course, it will matter very little either way. Perhaps this requires a class of its own?

Unique.

And if you're wondering, there will be _no_ romantic interest between Shikamaru and Tenten.

Anyway, that's all for today! Please **REVIEW.**

_-:-Ayame-:-_


	2. Arrogant Bastard

**a/n: **So, I didn't _quite_ achieve my goal of a 3000-word chapter. But I didn't want to delve into the other events in the story so we'll have to to make next chapter extra long, eh? XD

Without further ado, Chapter 2!

^^Rhyming. ;D

**disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

_-:-Ayame-:-_

* * *

**SCHOLAR**  
CHAPTER 2  
_-:-arrogant bastard-:-_

_"He really was a jerk."_

* * *

She could feel his eyes on her, studying her. Maybe, if she kept her head down, her eyes tracing the wood grains on the table, he wouldn't be able to see her blush-stained cheeks.

_He's…attractive._ Tenten fiddled with her thumbs, positively dying underneath the awkward tension.

Neji raised an eyebrow delicately, unrolling a piece of parchment and pulling a feather quill out of his knapsack. _He's old, terribly old, to be a Novice. Hiashi-sama did mention that he enrolled late but I didn't expect him to be nearly my age._

He cleared his throat for what might possibly have been the umpteenth time within the last few minutes and frowned when his new pupil did not look at him.

"Tetsuya-san," Neji called exasperatedly.

Tenten finally glanced up at the sound of her male counterpart's name and met his eyes. She lost herself in those pale eyes framed by a pair of reading glasses – the reading glasses seemed to magnify their beauty – and her blush deepened.

Neji interpreted the flush on her cheeks to be some sort of unique mechanism to deal with intimidation. Not that he blamed the poor guy – he was more than aware the kind of effect he had on people. Though still young, only seventeen, news of his achievement and greatness had spread throughout the country like wildfire, gaining him an almost legendary status.

He would also admit, although more reluctantly, that his personality and social skills were slightly below par – actually, they were _way_ below par but he had too much self pride to accept that. Maybe if he had spent a little less time studying his ass off when he was younger and a little more time frolicking with children of his own age rather than stuffy old scholars, he would know how to hold a decent conversation.

_But_, he was satisfied with his life – especially the fact that he was one of the youngest High Scholars in the history of the Manor – and wouldn't really change much about it, even if he had very few trustworthy 'friends' (that was a lie; he had no friends, only acquaintances and relatives and peers) and absolutely no desire for romance.

He _knew_ he had a habit of gazing at people with his eyebrows scrunched, eyes narrowed, and an irate expression plastered over his face. Every victim would squirm uncomfortably and many would flee moments after. He didn't do it on purpose; he was simply a _perfectionist_. If things weren't the exact way he wanted them to be, he would glare at anybody or any_thing_ his eyes happened to land upon for hours, even _days_, on end.

And this pupil, this Novice, this Novice who just so happened to be twice the usual enrolling age, he irked him in ways that Neji could not quite describe. Hiashi-sama had told him that Tetsuya was _Tetsuo's_ brother – Nakamura Tetsuo, a brilliant scholar who almost, _almost,_ rivaled Neji's intellect – but this boy appeared to be far too inept and insubstantial to be Tetsuo's brother.

_He could pass for a girl._

There was no doubt Tetsuya was very effeminate – big, wide, innocent eyes; a slight body frame and long elegant limbs and digits; even his short hair had that womanly shine and gloss to it – and Neji could tell right off the bat that he was in for one helluva lesson.

"Hiashi-sama informed me that you are to be given the rank of Novice," Neji stated, giving the boy a hard look.

A shiver ran up Tenten's spine and she sunk in her chair. No matter that her tutor was simply _beyond_ gorgeous; he was a real _jerk._ And even if he wasn't, there was no point fantasizing over him – she was supposed to be a _boy_ and she highly doubted that this _Hyuuga Neji_ was gay.

Still, despite her logic, she sighed because he really was _beautiful. _

Neji seemed to take her sigh as one of hopelessness because went on to further say, "Do not be discouraged. With my help, you will soon be a Low Scholar."

At that statement, a million words – insults – floated through Tenten's mind.

_Cocky._

_Arrogant. _

_Haughty._

_Supercilious._

But she only bowed her head in an attempt to appear humble, forcing herself not to shout out the words that so accurately described the Hyuuga.

"Now," he continued, taking on a business air, "We can start with learning the history of our village, Konoha. I'd like you to turn to page two hundred and sixty-two and read aloud the highlighted passage." Neji pushed towards her a dusty, leather-bound book and looked at her expectantly.

Unsure of herself, she opened the book, leafing through the pages slowly. Numbers she already knew; she found the correct page and opened her mouth to speak, but soon closed it, squinting at the lines and circles that adorned the thin paper. Tetsuo had taught her the numbers – every decent woman should know how to count, whether it be how many children she had or how many women her husband had slept with behind her back – but letters, _they_ were a very foreign concept.

She sat there for what felt like ages, conscious that Neji was scrutinizing her, but no words formed on her tongue.

"Something wrong, Tetsuya-san?" he asked condescendingly.

Tenten folded her arms neatly on top of the table, refusing to wither under his gaze. "I don't know how to read."

Neji stared at her, stunned, for a few moments before shaking his head slightly. "I assume you at least know the alphabet?"

"What's that?" she asked blankly.

He twitched and rubbed his temples. "Tetsuya-san, am I correct in stating that you have had no education whatsoever?"

"I know my numbers," Tenten pointed out unhelpfully, for Neji dipped his quill into a jar of ink and scribbled something on the paper.

"_A_," he told her, jabbing at the rune with his forefinger. "Learn it well."

* * *

_Two_ hours.

It took Neji two hours to ensure that Tenten had memorized each and every letter of the alphabet and could recite it from memory forwards and backwards. No doubt he was pleased by how quickly she picked up on it but didn't say anything to give himself away.

At the end of their study session, he handed her a stack of scrolls. "These," he had said, "are for you to review. Words, basic words – I want you to sound them out yourself."

Tenten had snatched the scrolls out of his hand with a hasty nod and shot out of the Study, silently cursing her Tutor for having such mesmerizingly distracting _good looks._

Shikamaru was sleeping when Tenten returned to Room 210 and she moved around quietly so as not to wake him.

Truth be told, the Nara genius was, in fact, _awake_ and watching her very closely. This new Scholar puzzled him and he was sure that 'Tetsuya' was hiding something.

After a fruitless ten minutes, Shikamaru pretended to awake and stretched lazily. "Hey."

Tenten jumped but compelled herself to relax. "Oh, hello. Did you have a nice nap?"

He did not grant her question with an answer, instead standing up and making his way towards the door in a slow, leisurely gait. Halfway out the door, he looked back at Tenten, who was in the process of arranging the scrolls Neji gave her on her desk. "You coming?"

"Where?" She kept one eyes on the stack of scrolls and prayed it wouldn't fall.

"Dinner." He looked at her as if she had sprouted another head.

"Right…" Tenten, relieved that the scrolls remained in their spot, moved to stand beside Shikamaru. "Lead the way, then."

The Dining Hall was at least three times larger than her house in Konoha. With its curved, dome ceiling, gothic-looking chandeliers, and gray limestone flooring, it was far more extravagant than anything Tenten had ever seen before. A dozen long wooden tables piled high with food took up most of the space.

Shikamaru left her alone at once to sit with a group of (what Tenten guessed to be) his fellow Middle Scholars. She wandering aimlessly for a while before opting that a seat at the end of a table, far into a secluded corner, where the food was untouched and fellow Scholars few, was the best spot.

She helped herself to the food and drank a dark, sweet beverage, watching with wide eyes the rest of the Scholars talk and interact. It was, admittedly, rather lonely to be the only female amongst so many males – no matter if she was pretending to be a boy – and in a moment of self-mutiny, she cursed her pride and ambition for entering such foreign territory.

"Hey there!"

Tenten choked on her drink and spluttered, glancing at the two rowdy looking Scholars who joined her at her _supposedly_ out-of-the-way spot. A feral-looking boy grinned wolfishly at her from across the table and his companion – a _blonde_ – took the liberty of seating himself beside her.

No words were exchanged for the first minute.

"A _new_ Scholar, Kiba!"

"Looks awfully runty, don't you think, Naruto?"

She glared at the two over the rim of her cup.

"Don't be so antisocial," the blonde – Naruto – chided, hitting her on the shoulder comradely. "I'm Naruto and he's Kiba. That dog down there, under the table, he doesn't bite. His name's Akamaru."

Kiba reached down to pet the aforementioned dog's head. "What are you called?"

"Tetsuya, Nakamura Tetsuya…" She was beginning to get accustomed to her new name; it rolled off her tongue easily.

Naruto's eyes bulged out of his head and he reached over to slap Kiba on the wrist. "Hey! He must be related to Tetsuo, _the_ Tetsuo. So," he continued, turning back to Tenten, "you must be pretty smart, eh?"

Tenten gave a noncommittal shrug.

"He doesn't _look_ like he could be Tetsuo's brother." Kiba squinted his eyes and Tenten fidgeted uneasily. "More like his_ sister!"_

Naruto high-fived his companion heartily. "Eh, Pretty Boy," he sang, nudging her playfully, "You're probably a High Scholar, right? Transferred from Suna? Yeah, I thought so," he concluded, taking her silence for affirmation. "_I_ am a Middle-"

"Liar," scoffed Kiba. "_I'm_ a Middle Scholar. You're a _Low _Scholar."

"Nani?" Naruto jumped quickly to defend his pride. "I may be a Low Scholar but _everyone_ knows I would have become a Middle Scholar if I hadn't been called away during Exams!"

Kiba rolled his eyes and then directed his attention back to Tenten. "So, since you're already a High Scholar and whatnot, you gonna try to become a Specialty Scholar?"

Tenten blinked. "What's that?"

"You must not have had that at your old college," Kiba mused. "Specialty Scholars, unlike other Scholars, specialize."

"Brilliant you are," Naruto muttered sarcastically.

Kiba ignored his jibe and continued. "They choose a field in which they want to devote their brainpower to and they spend the rest of their Scholarly Career pursuing that field as long as they pass the Specialty Exams. It's not permanent, though. You're allowed to change fields or even downgrade yourself back to a regular Scholar. _I'm_ planning to go into Biology."

"Ah, I see."

Tenten settled back and listened to the two of them converse, and occasionally scuffle verbally, finding their presence strangely comforting. They were loud and robust, occasionally referring to her as 'Pretty Boy' or 'Fresh Meat' but she, knowing they meant no real harm, allowed them to sit beside her. She nodded and commented every now and then but was content to simply listen for the time being.

As the dinner hour drew to a close, there was a slight cough and Kiba and Naruto put their current argument on hold to allow their guest to speak. Tenten glared at him but still could _not_ suppress the lightheaded feeling she got when she glanced at him.

"Neji-san," she greeted coolly.

He looked at her seatmates, who gave him a respectful nod, their high-strung attitudes temporarily subdued in the company of such an awe-inspiring figure. Neji returned it with a nod of his own and turned back to Tenten. "We have a study session planned for tomorrow morning, Tetsuya-san," he informed her.

"Hai." Tenten turned away but, noticing that Neji hadn't taken his leave, frowned.

"Nine o'clock in the Library," he added.

She nodded dutifully. "Hai."

With that done and over with, Neji walked away.

Naruto nudged her. "What's the deal with you and Cocky-san?"

"He's my tutor," Tenten explained with a reserved shrug.

Kiba jumped at her elucidation and pointed a finger at her. "You're already a High Scholar! Does that mean…you're even _smarter_ than other High Scholars? Does that mean…you're _above_ their lectures and so you have to study privately with _Cocky-san?"_ He whistled, sitting down, taking his assumption to be correct when Tenten didn't correct him. "You are one _smart_ bastard, Pretty Boy."

Tenten gave a short chuckle.

She didn't bother to tell them that she was actually a _Novice_. If they were _intimidated_ – somehow, she highly doubted that – or at least impressed, they'd hold at least some respect for her and, in turn, they wouldn't be so likely to query – which was ideal, given her risky circumstances.

"I'm gonna go back to the dorms," she announced, garnering Kiba and Naruto's attention. They looked up and nodded, but when she hadn't moved from her spot, they stared at her strangely. Tenten cleared her throat – reminding herself of Neji – and laughed embarrassedly. "Where's that exactly?"

"Ah, Fresh Meat, you're so clueless," Kiba crooned.

"We'll show you. Or, I will, at least. I was planning on retiring for the day but I can't speak for Inuzuka over there." Naruto jerked his head towards Kiba, who was smuggling a chicken leg under the table for Akamaru to devour.

"What?" Kiba beamed pseudo-innocently. "No, I think I'll go back to the dorms, too."

Tenten gestured for them to go first. "Go on, then."

They were barely out of the Dining Hall doors before they crossed paths with Tetsuo, who requested to speak with Tenten. "There are a few things I need to converse with my brother about," he explicated.

Kiba and Naruto's eyes widened and their mouth's formed perfect 'O's in the presence of such a reputable, cerebral Scholar and Tenten thought that they were mere seconds away from dropping to the floor and worshipping her brother. Tetsuo smiled at the two, who had begun to shake, aching to ask questions about the day's lecture or to offer themselves up as his pupils.

"If you two would be so kind as to excuse Tetsuya," he prompted.

"Of course, Tetsuo-san." They bowed in unison.

"Wonderful; I'll see you tomorrow at the morning lecture, Inuzuka. And Uzumaki, try not to be late tomorrow afternoon."

"Hai!"

They walked away, smiling gleefully at being addressed by _the_ Nakamura Tetsuo and shouting their good-byes to Tenten.

"I lead their lectures occasionally," Tetsuo explained upon meeting his sister's searching gaze. "Now, what I wanted to talk to you about," he went on, leading her down an empty hallway, "is key to keeping up your masquerade."

She cocked her head, intrigued. "Nani?"

_"_The _showers_," he said in a stage-whisper, "are not private at all. You'll surely be caught."

Tenten grimaced at the thought. "So what? I can't _not_ shower. I'll stink up this whole goddamn place!"

"You didn't let me finish, Ten. On the fifth floor, there is a bathroom, a _private_ bathroom, for the highest of High Scholars. Most take their showers before midnight. So long as you shower after midnight, you will be able to cleanse yourself in peace and not get discovered." He produced a shiny silver key and pressed it into the palm of her hand. "Mind you, this is against the conventions of the Manor so be sure not to get caught. If the Head Scholar found out that a _Novice_ was perusing those bathrooms – no matter that he was my brother-" he said this matter-of-factly, not braggingly, "-he'd expel you in a heartbeat."

Her fingers closed around the key, feeling the coldness seep into her body. "I won't get caught, Tetsuo."

His eyes narrowed in concern. "Let's hope not."

* * *

**a/n:** Is it just me or am I making subtle allusions to Hogwarts and Harry Potter? Feather quills, parchment, long rows of tables piled with food, and then a private bathroom reserved for those with a higher status (High Scholars/Prefects).

Anyway, Neji and Tenten, ahem_, Tetsuya,_ meet. Hopefully it was done to correctly portray their personalities. If not, I'll try to perfect that aspect.

I always though Kiba and Naruto would be like the _Dynamic Duo_, or something along those line. -laughs- I mean, with their exuberant, loud-mouthed, happy-go-lucky personas, surely they'd be the life of the party, or, more appropriately, the 'class clowns'. They're the kind of people, I think, Tenten would get along with rather well (She does have to put up with Lee, at any rate. These two are np problem for her.)

And a bit of clarification if you were wondering: The ranks of Scholars are supposed to be like the Shinobi Ranks. Novices are like Academy Students, Low Scholars are Genin, Middle Scholars Chuunin, and High Scholars Jounin. Specialty Scholars are _supposed _to corrolate with ANBU but it's really not the same concept, is it? And if we were to follow this pattern, then Head Scholar would be Hokage but, considering the fact that Hiashi is the Head Scholar, I suppose I broke that sequence.

And I just couldn't help adding the fact that Neji has _reading glasses._ For reason, I find that just so incredibly sexy on him. I don't know why. XD

So, I apologize for the incredibly _long_ Author's Note. I hope it hasn't thrown you off enough not to...

**REVIEW. **

Please do. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Your feedback means the world to me. ^^

_-:-Ayame-:-_


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